Free-agent recommendations refer to 12-team league formats, unless specifically stated. FAAB $ amounts are based on a $100 budget.
Bye weeks: none
Quarterbacks
1-Week Plug & Play
Daniel Jones, New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Jones returned from an ankle sprain to thoroughly destroy the Washington Redskins, and now he has a chance to join the ranks of quarterbacks who’ve bombarded the Eagles in 2019. Seven signal callers have posted at least 23.7 points vs. this defense, and Eli Manning mustered a line of 203-2-0 in the Week 14 contest. As Philadelphia focuses on a clearly healthy Saquon Barkley, Jones has a full complement of wideouts and a rising tight end in Kaden Smith.
Availability: 37%
FAAB: $7-8
Jacoby Brissett, Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars
Brissett began the year with 10 touchdown strikes in the first four games and has just eight over his remaining nine full outings, including none in the last two weeks. The Jaguars have given up at least 23.8 fantasy points six times to the position in 2019, and half of them have come in the last five contests. Brissett went for 18.6 points in the Week 11 meeting, although he was freshly returning from missing Week 10 with a knee sprain. Risk vs. reward is the cruz of his inclusion.
Availability: 50%
FAAB: $3-4
Robert Griffin III, Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Baltimore has nothing at stake in Week 17, and it seems unlikely we will see Lamar Jackson make the start. Even if he does, the leash should be short. Griffin faces a mostly unfavorable matchup but deserves a nod in leagues that allow or require two quarterbacks making a starting lineup. Just one QB since Week 9 has posted more than 20 fantasy a points against the Steelers, but three starting-worthy options are unlikely to play in meaningless Week 17 games, so someone like RG3 enters the conversation.
Availability: 100%
FAAB: $0-1
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Running Backs
1-Week Plug & Play
Travis Homer, Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers
Note: This one comes with a caution of reports suggesting Marshawn Lynch could be in play to return to Seattle. Add Homer anyway, since it should take some time for Beast Mode to get up to speed. Lynch also is worthy of an add.
Chris Carson (hip) and C.J. Prosise (arm) join Rashaad Penny (knee) has injured, unavailable Seattle running backs, making Homer the primary ball carrier. The rookie has a little bit of juice and is a capable pass-catching option out of the backfield. Homer has decent enough size (5-foot-10, 201 pounds) and will see enough opportunities to warrant a flex play, despite a tough matchup. Three rushing scores have come against the Niners in the last two games, and Carson was good for 19.1 PPR points in the Week 10 meeting.
Availability: 96%
FAAB: $10-12
Justice Hill, Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Mark Ingram (calf) left early last week and will have two weeks to recover before the postseason since the Ravens have a bye and nothing for which to play in Week 17. Hill has an explosive nature that will help exploit the Steelers on the perimeter and in the passing game. Pittsburgh hasn’t given up a rushing score since Week 5 when Ingram visited the end zone, although a pair of aerial scores have come from the backfield in the past month. Hill’s best way of attacking will be via the screen game.
Availability: 75%
FAAB: $4-5
DeAndre Washington, Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos
Denver has granted one rushing and a receiving score to RBs since Week 8, and only two backs have produced 100-yard games vs. the Broncos in 2019. One of them was Leonard Fournette’s 225-yard outburst. In Week 17, Raiders running back Josh Jacobs is a long shot to play after missing two of the last three games with a fractured shoulder. Oakland has a puncher’s chance at the postseason, so expect the offense to swing for the fences, and Washington is a decent bet for fantasy production in the mid-teens in PPR.
Availability: 50%
FAAB: $4-5
T.J. Yeldon, Buffalo Bills vs. New York Jets
Buffalo has nothing at stake this week, making Yeldon the likely No. 1 back. While the situation is fluid, and the matchup isn’t exactly ideal, he has an opportunity in PPR. The Jets have given up four offensive scores in the last five weeks to RBs, including two via the passing game. These teams last met in Week 17, and Devin Singletary caught five passes. Yeldon has flex utility as five of the last six backs to face this group have managed double-digit PPR returns.
Availability: 87%
FAAB: $2-3
Wide Receivers
1-Week Plug & Play
Justin Watson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Atlanta Falcons
With so many injuries to the receiving corps in Tampa, Watson is a must-play, even with a fairly difficult matchup. The Falcons have stiffened greatly in the last six weeks vs. WRs. Back in Week 12, Chris Godwin (hamstring) had his way with this defense, going for 184 yards and two TDs on seven grabs. The results since have favored Atlanta, however, and Watson is no Godwin. The former has, though, managed double figures in PPR over two of his last three appearances, and he’s in a prime situation to see enough looks from Jameis Winston to matter.
Availability: 78%
FAAB: $13-15
N’Keal Harry, New England Patriots vs. Miami Dolphins
The rookie has started to show signs of getting up to speed both physically and mentally. Harry has 11 utilizations in the last two games, scoring once in that time. New England has to find some other than Julian Edelman and James White who is trustworthy for Tom Brady, and we’ve seen major limitations from the rest of the weaponry. Miami has given up 11 receiving TDs to the position in the last five games alone, and only two teams have yielded more receiving yards in that window.
Availability: 53%
FAAB: $5-6
Greg Ward, Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants
With target counts of nine, nine and five in the last three games, Ward has corralled no fewer than four grabs for totals of 34, 61 and 71 yards, with one score in Week 15. The Giants allowed him a 4-34-0 line a few weeks back, and New York’s secondary no longer has CB Janoris Jenkins since that meeting. Ward is a risky option, but given his number of targets and the matchup with a defense that has yielded four wideout TDs in the last two games, he’s a fantasy flex consideration.
Availability: 84%
FAAB: $3-4
Isaiah McKenzie, Buffalo Bills vs. New York Jets
Opportunity and a plus matchup tend to equal success in fantasy, but this one will take two huge leaps of faith to pan out. One being McKenzie himself, and the other being Matt Barkley proving capable of moving the ball. Buffalo has nothing at stake this week, so guys like John Brown and Cole Beasley are unlikely to see much, if any, action. The explosive McKenzie has some utility vs. a defense that has permitted wideouts a quartet of touchdowns in just the past two games.
Availability: 99%
FAAB: $1-2
Tight Ends
1-Week Plug & Play
Hayden Hurst, Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
In a running theme this week — players who tend to see limited action but could be of worth due to increased playing time — Hurst will benefit if the Ravens rest primary skill guys. There’s nothing on the line for the playoff seeding this week, and Hurst is a former first-round talent who has been lost in the shuffle after Mark Andrews emerged. Quarterback Robert Griffin III would assume the mantle for one game, and his limited skills as a passer (as well as substandard WR corps) makes Hurst a bona fide fantasy option vs. a Steelers defense that has permitted a trio of TE scores in the last five games and six over the last 10 games.
Availability: 74%
FAAB: $4-5
Jordan Akins, Houston Texans vs. Tennessee Titans
This one is an admitted stretch simply because it’s tough to know how much Houston values Darren Fells. The Texans have nothing of consequence at play this week, and Fells has been a pleasant surprise in 2019. He skirted the injury report last week with a hand issue, and it could make for an opportune time to give him a break, even though he played in Week 16. Head coach Bill O’Brien says he will not rest starters, which makes little sense, but this could be an exception. Even if Fells plays, Akins has a larger role ahead with WR Will Fuller out. Akins would be the next man up and faces Tennessee unit that has conceded five touchdowns to the position in the last six games (nine on the year).
Availability: 77%
FAAB: $2-3
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Kickers
1-Week Plug & Play
Stephen Hauschka, Buffalo Bills vs. New York Jets
In the five weeks entering Week 16, no team had given up more field goal attempts than the Jets. This one could go either way, however, because only one has been attempted in the last two games combined, and Miami’s Jason Sanders booted seven of eight kicks in Week 14 to up the average. Kickers have tried at least two three-pointers in eight contests this year vs. the Jets, and if the Bills indeed rest theirs starters, field goals may be the most they can hope for against New York.
Availability: 81%
FAAB: $0-1
Matt Gay, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Atlanta Falcons
The rookie has averaged a pair of field goals in the last five weeks and tried 19 kicks in the last nine games. The decimation of the receiving corps helped contribute to Gay attempting three tries in Week 16, in addition to a pair of TD-capping kicks. The Falcons have given up 12 field goal attempts in the last five games, and in nine of the last 11 games, kickers have tried two or more treys.
Availability: 36%
FAAB: $0-1
Jason Sanders, Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots
Sanders has been busier of late, kicking two or more field goal attempts in three straight contests, including a monster eight-field goal effort in Week 14. Sanders has kicked two or more times in seven games and has eight games with one or no attempts, making him a risky proposition. The Patriots have yielded 11 three-point attempts in the last six games. Miami didn’t attempt a field goal way back in Week 2 vs. the Patriots, but much has chanced in the four months since that one.
Availability: 93%
FAAB: $0-1
Defense/Specials Teams
1-Week Plug & Play
New York Jets at Buffalo Bills
The Bills have permitted 16 sacks in the last six contests. There’s nothing at stake this week, which means we’re likely to see Matt Barkley for some or all of the game. The Jets become a much more favorable option in this scenario, especially since the best fantasy outing for a defense against Buffalo in 2019 came from the Jets, albeit way back in the season opener.
Availability: 57%
FAAB: $1-2
Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It has been an all-or-nothing deal from this defense in recent times, with the Falcons having generated three or more sacks in a trio of the games and one or none in the other three contests over the last six weeks. The Buccaneers are a shell of their 2019 self at wide receiver, and this has been one of the best matchups of the year for fantasy defenses. However, in Week 12, Atlanta managed only two takeaways and no sacks, which was the worst fantasy effort against this unit. There’s hope but also plenty of downside.
Availability: 82%
FAAB: $1-2
Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans
The Texans have nothing at stake in Week 17, and while head coach Bill O’Brien says the starters will play, we could see AJ McCarron at quarterback during the game. In the last six weeks, Houston has granted 20 sacks. That kind of pressure alone has to make Tennessee a worthwhile consideration, despite this defense managing just three fantasy points vs. the Texans only two weeks ago. The Titans sacked Deshaun Watson only once and managed a pair of INTs but gave up 24 points.
Availability: 61%
FAAB: $1-2
